Trace element contamination in rice and its potential health risks to consumers in North-Central Vietnam.

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) are poisonous, widely distributed, persistent, and transferable to crops, posing potential health risks. This study aims to assess the potential health risks of those elements in rice collected from North-Central Vietnam: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh provinces. Element analysis was performed on rice harvested in November 2020 by ICP-MS. The estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI), and target carcinogenic risk (TR) were used to assess potential health risks for different population groups. The highest element levels (mg kg-1 dry weight) were observed for Cr (0.30 ± 0.11), As (0.17 ± 0.025) and for Pb (0.24 ± 0.013) in Thanh Hoa, and for Cd (0.088 ± 0.015) in Ha Tinh. Strong links were observed between geological formations, mining activities and Cr in rice (Thanh Hoa), or industrial activities and Ni accumulation in rice (Hung Nguyen and Ky Anh districts). Children had greater EDIs than adults, with As having a higher EDI than RfD. Rice THQs indicated a risk trend: Thanh Hoa > Ha Tinh > Nghe An, with As being a significant contributor to HIs. Cr and Cd were significant risk factors and HIs in female children were 1.5 times higher than in other groups. Based on TR values for Ni and Pb, a potential carcinogenic risk to rice eaters was observed, particularly Ni. The data revealed a significant human health risk (both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) connected with rice consumption. Therefore, crops and foods from North-Central Vietnam should be strictly regulated.

Metal Pollution and Bioaccumulation in the Nhue-Day River Basin, Vietnam: Potential Ecological and Human Health Risks.

(1) Background: Metal pollution in the Nhue-Day River basin has impacted approximately 12 million people. However, none of the previous studies considered the entire basin's environmental and health risks. Thus, this research aims to fill knowledge gaps and reduce risks. (2) Methods: Sediment and fish samples from the basin were analyzed to determine the levels of Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd pollution and their potential ecological (EF, modified Pollution Index-mPI, and expanded, modified potential ecological risk index-emRI) and human health risks (THQ, HI, and TR indices). (3) Results: Metal levels in sediment exceeded Canadian aquatic life protection guidelines, indicating moderate to severe contamination (EFs: 1.3-58.5 and mPIs: 4-39). Compared to the new proposed ecological risk threshold, all river sites and Site 1 for ponds had elevated metal levels; and these posed a very high ecological risk in spring (emRI > 4.5), with Cd being the most hazardous. Lead levels in all fish tissues surpassed Vietnamese and EU food regulations. In agreement with THQ, EWI (Zn, Cu) and EMI (Cd) were both less than 2.5% of the PTWI and PTMI, respectively. However, HI values of 0.67-1.26 suggested a moderate health risk. Carcinogenic risk (TR > 10-6; estimated for Pb) was detected in several localities for Common carp and Tilapia during the warm season. (4) Conclusions: Metals had a negative impact on the basin's ecosystem, with Cd being the most dangerous. Because of lead, consumption of Common carp and Tilapia from the basin may pose both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health concerns.

KIR3DL1 Allotype-Dependent Modulation of NK Cell Immunity against Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-treated chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients with increased NK cell number have a better prognosis, and thus, NK cells may suppress CML. However, the efficacy of TKIs varies for reasons yet to be fully elucidated. As NK cell activity is modulated by interactions between their killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIRs) and HLAs of target cells, the combination of their polymorphisms may have functional significance. We previously showed that allelic polymorphisms of KIR3DL1 and HLAs were associated with the prognosis of TKI-treated CML patients. In this study, we focus on differential NK cell activity modulation through KIR3DL1 allotypes. KIR3DL1 expression levels varied according to their alleles. The combination of KIR3DL1 expression level and HLA-Bw4 motifs defined NK cell activity in response to the CML-derived K562 cell line, and Ab-mediated KIR3DL1 blocking reversed this activity. The TKI dasatinib enhanced NK cell activation and cytotoxicity in a KIR3DL1 allotype-dependent manner but did not significantly decrease effector regulatory T cells, suggesting that it directly activated NK cells. Dasatinib also enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity against K562 bearing the BCR-ABL1 T315I TKI resistance-conferring mutation, depending on KIR3DL1/HLA-Bw4 allotypes. Transduction of KIR3DL1*01502 into the NK cell line NK-92 resulted in KIR3DL1 expression and suppression of NK-92 activity by HLA-B ligation, which was reversed by anti-KIR3DL1 Ab. Finally, KIR3DL1 expression levels also defined activation patterns in CML patient-derived NK cells. Our findings raise the possibility of a novel strategy to enhance antitumor NK cell immunity against CML in a KIR3DL1 allotype-dependent manner.